Champions of Europe!
When England were crowned champions of Europe right here at the City Ground.
England U18 celebrating with the UEFA Trophy after defeating Turkey at the City Ground. 1993 (Pic: Rui Vieira/EMPICS Sport)
“England are Champions of Europe!” went the cry. And it happened right here at the City Ground.
In July 1993, England hosted the UEFA European Under-18 Championship Final Tournament. This consisted of fourteen games of football in seven days, in seven different venues, between 18 and 25 July. In other words, a festival of youth football. The format comprised of two groups of four, with the winner of each group progressing to the final, to be contested by the banks of the River Trent.
This wasn’t quite a tale of the hosts and eventual winners starting a tournament slowly before finding their stride towards the business end. This team, managed by Ted Powell, hit the afterburners early on and didn’t let up until the trophy was hoisted aloft. They eased past France 2-0 with two late goals from Kevin Gallen and Robbie Fowler at Stoke City’s old Victoria Ground in front of 6,756.
From there it was to Walsall two days later to play a Netherlands team featuring Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert. Eerily, England prevailed 4-1 in a foreshadow of the 4-1 demolition against the same nation three years later at Euro 96. Gallen and Fowler each found the net again, with Julian Joachim weighing in with a brace. Interest was growing as 7,561 souls saw a talented Dutch team eviscerated.
Two days later, back to the Bescot Stadium to face Spain who were swatted aside 5-1 with a Robbie Fowler hat-trick and a goal each from Mark Tinkler and Jamie Forrester. All of which meant that England waltzed to the final where they would meet Turkey, who finished top of Group A ahead of Portugal. This would be their fourth game in eight days.
Ahead of the final was the third placed playoff which Spain won, seeing off Portugal. Then it was the main event in front of the recently modernised Bridgford End and the yet to be redeveloped Trent End. Such was the growing interest in the game that it was twice delayed twice owing to crowd congestion. An eager crowd of 23,381 eventually took their seats for kick-off.
Turkey were not there to roll over and it took until the 77th minute for England to break the deadlock. Julian Joachim latched onto a long kick from Chris Day in goal, sold a delightful dummy to one Turkish defender, side-stepped Serkan Aykut before being barged onto the floor of the Trent End penalty area. Captain Darren Caskey duly dispatched the spot kick after a cheeky little stutter in his run up.
Caskey received the trophy on behalf of a squad which would accumulate 250 full international caps.
“England are Champions of Europe!”
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The England team for the final against Turkey was Chris Day, Gary Neville, Sol Campbell, Chris Casper, Kevin Sharp, Darren Caskey, Mark Tinkler, Paul Scholes, Robbie Fowler, Julian Joachim, Kevin Gallen.
The other members of the squad were Andy Marshall, Rob Bowman, Nicky Butt, Jamie Forrester, Noel Whelan.
Want to know more about team? Here’s a more detailed piece by Rob Smyth.
Footage of the final is here.
If you don’t know me, I am the author of ‘Reds and Rams: The History of the East Midlands Derby’ and ‘The History Boys: Thirty Iconic Forest Goals’ (both available in the Forest club shop). I have written pieces for Mundial magazine, Football Weekends magazine and edited two award-nominated fanzines.
If you do know me, I’m truly sorry.